1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to configurable electronic controls for cooktop heating elements.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional controls for cooktop heating elements utilize switches, pushbuttons, indicator lights, potentiometers, and/or electronic controls. Controls are typically provided for controlling separate heating elements on a cooktop. Controls may be provided for simultaneously controlling multiple heating elements. It would be useful if a single interface device or multiple interface devices could be selectively associated with one or more heating elements.
Conventional controls for cooktop heating elements provide a single heating profile for a heating element. For example, a cooktop heating element may be controlled by a potentiometer having an adjustment knob for setting a desired heating element temperature. Each position of the adjustment knob along the available rotation of the potentiometer, for example, approximately one revolution, would correspond to a single heating element temperature. It would be useful if multiple heating profiles were available for the heating element so that multiple heating element temperatures could be selectively associated with a single interface device setting.